About IISG

The IISG aims to improve collective efficiency of security actions and actors in the WB and as such support the European perspective of the region.

One of the main outcomes of the IISG process is to map the needs of the Western Balkans and the corresponding responses by IISG members in all three IISG Pillars:

• The WBCTi (“Western Balkans Counter-Terrorism Initiative”): actions related to counter-terrorism and preventing and countering violent extremism;
• The WBCSCi (“Western Balkans Counter Serious Crime Initiative”): actions related to fighting serious organised crime;
• The WBBSi (“Western Balkans Border Security Initiative”): actions related to border security.

The purpose of the needs mapping is to identify the legislative, institutional and operational needs of the Western Balkans to effectively prevent and respond to security threats in the three pillars of the IISG.  Identifying the needs will allow for a subsequent identification of responses and ultimately, the analysis of gaps, synergies and approaches.

The needs mapping report will be prepared by the IISG Secretariat with contributions from the IISG Support Group every two years following the process described below. It is estimated that a cycle of needs mapping will take 6 months to complete.

Reflecting the aim of the IISG, the needs identified in the context of the IISG should link up with progress on the European path of the Western Balkans.  As such, the framework for the identification of needs is the EU’s Enlargement strategy (including acquis, standards and practices), regional sectoral and national strategies, and other relevant documents produced by IISG members.  Needs should reflect both a prevention perspective (gaps in effective prevention of security threats) and a response perspective (gaps in effective response to security threats) in line with each of the objectives of the three IISG pillars.

The IISG will publish biennially a needs report including on its webpage.  To ensure more continuous information, the results of the needs and the response mapping will be transposed into a secure database, which will be open to IISG members for regular updates. The Response mapping will be structured corresponding to the needs and include all programmes and actions which are currently underway, or to be implemented in all three pillars by IISG members. Once developed, the database will be consulted in the early phases of the needs mapping process by the Support Group.

As agreed by the IISG Board members at the 4th Board Meeting on 18th November 2019 in Skopje, the RCC became the host of the new IISG Secretariat as of 1 April 2020